Actors' Equity Association
The Huntington Theatre Company salutes the
Actors Equity Association (AEA)‚ the labor union representing over 40‚000
American actors and stage managers in professional theatre. For over 90 years‚ Equity has negotiated
minimum wages and working conditions‚ administered contracts‚ and
enforced the provisions of various agreements with theatrical employers
across the country.
On May 26‚ 1913‚ 112 performers gathered at the Pabst Grand Circle
Hotel to adopt Equity’s Constitution and elect its first President.
The Preamble is still the finest statement of Equity’s mission:
We hereby constitute
ourselves as a voluntary association to advance‚ promote‚ foster
and benefit all those connected with the art of theatre and particularly
the profession of acting and the conditions of persons engaged therein;
to protect and secure the rights of actors; to inform them as to
their legal rights and remedies; to advise and assist them in obtaining
employment and proper compensation; to procure appropriate legislation
upon matters affecting their profession.
Stick Fly playwright Lydia R. Diamond with cast members Rosie Benton, Nikkole Salter, and Amber Iman.